64 



favour of its affinity with Nymphcea, in which the same process 

 exists. 



M. D'Orbigny's memoir, occupying five pages, professes 

 to be on the species of the genus Victoria, and he says that 

 in addition to V. regia^ there is a second species, called by 

 him V. Cruziana ; he gives for the two supposed species what 

 he terms distinctive phrases, duly written in Latin, in the 

 form of specific characters, upon the most approved plan, each 

 occupying four printed lines. This array of technical terms 

 only means however, being interpreted, that V. regla has the 

 leaves purple on the under side, and the external petals white, 

 with the interior red ; while V. Cruziana has the leaves green 

 on each side, and all the petals red. Let it not be supposed 

 however that five pages, and so much learning are expended 

 upon so mean a result. M. D'Orbigny's real object is to give 

 an account of his own discoveries, and to complain of their 

 having been anticipated by me in this country. In what way 

 however any blame attaches to me I am at a loss to under- 

 stand. The plant was discovered in an English Colony, by a 

 distinguished naturalist in English pay, and by him it was 

 communicated to me for publication : 1 knew nothing of M. 

 D'Orbigny, or of his discoveries, nor does he pretend that I 

 did. But he says that he sent home specimens to Paris in 

 1828, only his friends at Paris did not make them known ; 

 that he talked about his "belles plantes" to M. Adolphe 

 Brongniart, in 1834 ; that in 1835, at p. 289 of the "relation 

 historique" of his travels, "il a indique sommairement sa 

 decouverte, sans lui imposer de nom hotanique ;" and that he 

 *' eprouvait une veritable peine" when he found in 1837 that 

 his plant was published by me with the " nom pompeux" of 

 Victoria regia. In answer to all which I humbly submit to 

 M. D'Orbigny that his specimens were not sent to me ; that 

 I am not M. Adolphe Brongniart ; that I am very sorry for 

 his distress of mind; and that le nom pompeux de Victoria is 

 the name of the Queen of England. 



134. ^ EPIDENDRUM densijforum. Hooker in Botanical Mag. t. 3791. 



This plant, with densely spiked, panicled flowers of a 

 greenish yellow colour, relieved by a white 4-lobed lip, 

 appears to be the same as the E. jioribundum of Humboldt 

 and Kunth. 



